Disclaimer: I will disclaim it at the top of my lungs. "I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER!"

Chappie 12

Becoming a Prefect

"Yes! Dinnertime!" Maggie yelled as she bounded out of the last class of the day, herbology.

"Yeah, I know," Lily agreed. "I'm starv-" she halted mid-word. "Darn it. What time is it?" she asked.

"Umm," Shay looked at her watch. "Four fifty. Why?"

Lily started searching through her bag. "Because. Don't you remember the note we got this morning? We have a meeting with the headmaster!" She kept digging through her bag and pulled out a very crumpled note. "Here it is! See, it says '5:00 PM'!"

Both Shay and Maggie's eyes widened. "I totally forgot," Maggie said. "Come on!" She grabbed both Lily and Shay by their arms. "We can't be late!" They took off running down the corridor.

Maggie skidded to a halt in front of Dumbledore's office. Lily and Shay, who had been right on her heels, ran smack dab into her, and they all collapsed into a wheezing heap. It was 4:59; they had just made it.

The marble gargoyle they were in front of began to turn. Soon it revealed a spiral staircase which, seconds later, Dumbledore descended, his half-moon spectacles twinkling and a smile on his face. The smile widened when he noticed their state. "Is the floor that comfortable?" he asked them.

Each girl gave a sheepish smile and stood up.

"Well, is it?" the professor asked.

"Oh, well not generally," Shay offered. "But this spot," she indicated where they had previously been lying, "was quite comfy."

"Ah," Dumbledore said. He sat down. "Yes, I see what you mean. It really is comfortable, isn't it?"

All three girls looked at him in shock. They couldn't believe Albus Dumbledore had just sat on the floor and called it comfortable. I mean, who in their right mind would call the floor comfortable? Really.

"Professor," Maggie interrupted the awkward silence that had followed the Headmaster's actions, "didn't you want to talk to us about something?"

"Yeah," Lily added. "You sent us these." She showed him the letter.

"Yes, yes," he agreed. "But we must wait for Miss Olsen. Do any of you know where she could be?"

"She told me she wasn't coming, Professor," Maggie told him.

"Well then," he said thoughtfully, "that's just too bad for her. Ah, I had hoped you could have all been here, but nonetheless, let's go. Up to my office." He shepherded them up the spiral staircase.

Lily, Maggie, and Shay sat down in three of the four chairs lined up in front of Dumbledore's desk. He sat down and began talking.

"I'm not sure if you are aware, but Miss Elinor Cook will not be returning to Hogwarts this year."

This news was met by gasps from Shay and Maggie. "What?" they asked in disbelief. "Why?"

"Her mother felt that Hogwarts was an unsuitable place for a young lady after last year's. . . um how shall I say. . . incident," he explained, looking over his glasses at Shay.

"I had nothing to do with that!" Shay defended immediately.

"I didn't say you had anything to do with it, yes well, on with what I was saying. Miss Cook will not be returning, and as I had offered her the position of prefect, we are now short one. I have gathered you here to discuss what should be done and who will take the position."

"Not me!" both Shay and Maggie said as soon as Dumbledore uttered the words 'take the position.'

"What?" Lily asked, turning to Shay and Maggie. "What's so bad about being a prefect?"

"Um, nothing," Maggie explained vaguely, glancing imperatively over at Shay.

Shay quickly agreed. "There's nothing wrong with it, per se, but you know, with quidditch and everything," she now directed her explanation at the headmaster, "how would we find time to attend to the prefect duties?" At which point she smiled angelically.

"A good point, Miss Smith. Do you both feel this way?" he questioned Maggie and Shay.

They nodded. "Yes."

"Well, then, if you feel that way. I suppose my only other option is you, Miss Evans."

"But Headmaster," Lily started. She was beginning to think that there was something about this prefect job that she probably didn't want. "What about Lisa? Wouldn't she be more qualified, seeing as I've only been here for three days?"

"Well if you put-"

"No," Maggie interjected. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Professor, but if Miss Olsen cannot even make it to a meeting that you specifically requested, how can she be expected to perform her prefect duties to standards?"

"This is true," Dumbledore agreed.

"And," Maggie continued, "I believe that my friend here is very capable of performing her duties. Just today, she remembered this meeting when both of us," she gestured to herself and Shay, "had forgotten. By now she knows the castle well enough. I think you should let her have the job."

"I agree," Shay chipped in. "For as little as I've known her, she seems very competent."

"Well, Miss Evans. It seems that both of your classmates here believe in you, and unless you have a very good reason of why you should not be made a prefect, I'm going to make you one."

Lily passed and thought of a reason, any reason, to get herself out of this. Too bad for her, nothing came. She sighed. "I suppose it couldn't be all bad, could it?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Now that's what I like to hear." He bent down and reached into one of the bottom drawers of his desk. He pulled out a badge that read 'PREFECT' on it in large glowing letters. "This is yours." He handed it to her.

"Umm, thanks?" Lily said, still uncertain about what she was getting herself into.

Dumbledore was still digging through the bottom drawer when he answered, "You're welcome," unaware of the lack of thanks that was expressed. "Let me just find the- ah! Here it is!" He pulled out a large calendar. He traced some weeks with a finger. "Hmm, it appears that you and Remus don't have any duties until after the next meeting, which is two weeks from now at 7:00 PM, so you're free to go." He looked up and gave them all a toothy smile.

In the hall outside of Dumbledore's office, Lily pulled Maggie and Shay aside. "What was that all about?"

"Don't you see?" Shay asked. "It'll be perfect! We'll be able to get away with anything!"

"What do you mean?"

"Prefects are allowed to be out after hours," Maggie explained. "We'll be able to go anywhere without getting in trouble because you can always say that you found us and you're taking us back to the common room!"

"Well, if it's so perfect, why didn't either of you volunteer for it?" Lily inquired.

"We have quidditch, so wouldn't be able to do all the boring stuff that prefects have to do, you know?" said Shay with a smile.

"Well, I'm not happy about it, but alright, we'll see." Lily smiled and Maggie and Shay smiled back. "To dinner!"

Lily, Maggie and Shay entered the Great Hall and found the only three open seats in the place.

Hari picked up a biscuit out of the basket in the middle of the table as they sat down. He looked up. "Gees, what took you so long?" he asked Maggie as she sat down next to him.

She grabbed the biscuit out of his hand and took a bite out of it. "Ask Lily," she mumbled through the biscuit.

Hari looked at Lily questioningly. She finished piling her plate with food, dug into her robes and tossed her prefect badge at him.

"What's this? Are you a prefect?" Hari asked incredulously.

Lily rolled her eyes, her face full of mashed potatoes. "By default, I suppose."

He handed her badge back. "Ha, that's great!"

"Yeah."

"Hey," Hari whispered, "Do they know about Operation Rainbow?"

Lily looked at Shay to her left and Maggie in front of her. "Yes." She gave all three of them an evil smile. "And it all goes down tomorrow."

Well. Sorry it took so long, but I was at a horse campat Hoosier Horse Parkall week. Hoped you liked it. How could you guys leave me one short of 100? I feel unloved! Thanks to all the reviews though!

grannyHPfan: I know. I hate Slughorn. Hope you liked this chappie as much as the last. Thanks for reviewing!

reader-not-a-reviewer: Well, I had to have something! Glad you liked it anyway. Was this better? Thanks for reviewing!

AlannaDragon: Wow. That website is nifty. I liked it. Thanks! I like Wolverine too! Just keep trying with your sis! Perseverance pays off! Yeah. I've read Artemis Fowl. I love those books! They're great! Did you ever try do decode the message at the bottom of the first book? I haven't heard of those other books. I'll try them. My friend went to that camp last year. (She's kind of a nerd, but don't tell her I said that!) She plays the saxophone. Thanks for reviewing!

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